


Tear-stained: Comfort in the Face of Fear

by deebainwonderland



Series: Irondad Whumptober [10]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Angst, Father-Son Relationship, Hurt Pepper Potts, Precious Peter Parker, Tears, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, whumptober2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-16 04:01:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21029912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deebainwonderland/pseuds/deebainwonderland
Summary: Tony and Peter find themselves in a hospital. Not exactly an unusual occurrence. However, this time, they aren’t there for each other. At least, not entirely.#whumptober2019 #no.14 #tear-stained





	Tear-stained: Comfort in the Face of Fear

It’s funny how time has a way of never quite cooperating. 

Tony could swear that he had been sipping his morning coffee mere minutes ago, mind filtering through an array of new designs. But, that couldn’t be right. From the pain in his legs, he must have been sitting on this damn hospital bench for days. Or perhaps, it was somewhere in between. 

Tony heard the quiet footsteps moving down the hall towards him but couldn't bring himself to look up. As the visitor sat down beside him, Tony knew it was Peter in that indescribable way that he always seems to have with the boy.

Peter doesn’t say anything at first, choosing to simply press close enough to his mentor that their shoulders touched. 

As soon as he felt the warmth of the boy next to him, Tony’s breath stuttered and he pushed his face down into his hands. It was only then that he realized tears were cascading down his face. With how wet his fingers were, he must have been silently crying for a long time. 

“Happy said,” Peter began to say, having to stop mid-way to cough, tears thick in his own voice, “That she’ll be out of surgery soon. He said that she’ll be ok.”

Tony’s head moved up and down, still not looking at the boy next to him. “So the doctors say.” 

“That’s good, right?”

A laugh pushed out of his lips as Tony finally looked up and over to the boy. Peter was staring back at him with wide, shiny eyes, looking half-worried that he would have to catch his mentor if he fell. “Best news I’ve ever had, kid. Pepper Potts is stronger than us all.” 

Peter grinned, the change nearly jarring. “I could have told you that. Aunt May’s the same way.” 

Tony took a shuddering breath and reached up to wipe his face with rough hands. He slid over and hooked an arm around his charge, pulling him near. Peter went willingly until he was half curled into Tony’s lap, hands gripping his coat. 

As soon as he had his kid in his arms, Tony felt his heartbeat begin to settle. Finally, time seemed to be moving at the correct pace again. “Thanks for coming, kid.” 

Peter laughed and burrowed deeper into Tony’s hold. “That’s dumb. You don’t have to thank me for that.” 

The two sat in silence for several minutes, both listening to the other’s heartbeat. It amazed Tony just how vital this boy had to become to his sanity. He knew that Happy must have called the kid. Tony would have to thank him for that. Though perhaps he should be more embarrassed that he so desperately needed reassurance from someone who wasn’t even old enough to vote. Though, Tony supposed, it really was too late to be worrying about such things. Far, far, too late. 

“You’re not allowed to go around in cars anymore. You or Pepper.”

Peter hummed against his throat. “Not sure that’s going to work, Mr. Stark. Sometimes accidents just happen. It’s nobody's fault, certainly not yours. Plus, we wouldn’t want to put Happy out of a job.”

“When did you get so wise?” Tony asked, running a hand through dark curls. They were sweat-curled and Tony vaguely wondered if Peter had run to the hospital.

“Learned from the best.”

That did surprise a laugh out of Tony. His hand drifted down to rub comforting circles into the boy’s back. “People call me a lot of things, kid. I highly doubt that wise would be one of them.”

“Well, you don't let that many people know the real you, Mr. Stark,” Peter replied, eyes flicking around the hospital hallway, “Just Mr. Rhodes and Happy and me. And her.” 

Tony’s eyes flickered over the closed operation room. “Never could hide from her.”

“You shouldn't try to,” Peter chastised gently. “At least not from us.” 

Tony’s arms tightened around the boy who had wormed his way so deep into his heart that there was no force on earth that could drag him out. He felt calmer at this moment than he had since he’d gotten the call about Pepper and the accident. Dr. Cho had beaten even him to the hospital and though Tony knew, he knew, his better half would be alright, it was only with Peter in his arms that he could finally calm the overwhelming, horrific terror that had been bubbling in his throat. 

“I know, bud,” he breathed against Peter’s hair. “I’ll have to work on that.”

“Miss. Potts will help,” said Peter brightly, reaching up to wipe away the last of the tears on his mentor’s face.

Tony turned his head slightly to press a gentle kiss to the fingers tracing his cheeks. “Yeah, kid. No doubt.”

**Author's Note:**

> Figured it was about time to whump someone who wasn't Tony to Peter. Please leave a kudo and/or comment if you enjoyed!


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